Sunshine
by wrongnotes
Summary: While some regarded sunshine as an ever present luxury, Edward Elric knew better. He'd cherish his sunshine and the rays of joy it gave him, finding delight in every little moment. If Winry Rockbell was the sun, he'd wish for a life with no clouds. Edwin. Post-Brotherhood.


If someone had asked the Fullmetal Alchemist where he thought he'd be at age seventeen, he certainly wouldn't have predicted a sunflower patch. More specifically, an entire field dedicated to growing the most unusual of flowers. The entire idea of peace had been so foreign to him back when he was in the military, like trying to reach a roof with no ladder. He'd made his own path, albeit messily, but it had landed him here; a stretch of land so extraordinary he thought he'd carry the floral scent with him forever.

It was Winry's idea, and she had stressed with great extremity that this was _not_ a date. An outing, she had said, though Ed was still puzzled at why Al had insisted he didn't want to go. After getting his body back, Al took every opportunity to see, touch, taste, and smell everything he could get in proximity with, so passing off a _flower field_ was definitely abnormal.

It might've helped if Winry wiped that all-knowing smirk off her face. Ed hated being in the dark.

"What's with the grin? You look like you just got a hold of Granny's cookie jar," Ed grumbled, staring ahead at the small clearing they were heading towards.

Winry shifted the large, woven basket between her hands and sighed. "How do you _not_ find this amazing? I can't believe we never came here all those years as kids!" Her eyes sparkled as they traversed along all the sunflowers and poppies around them.

"Maybe I'd like it better if all the sunflowers weren't taller than me!" Ed scrunched up his face. "Smug little bastards…"

Winry raised her eyebrows. "You _do_ realize you just called plants bastards, right?"

"That doesn't change anything! What gives them the right to be that big? It's not natural!"

Winry shook her head and gave a small smile. It was almost as if the weight of the sky had been lifted from her; her entire demeanor shone with an aura of tranquility. No longer did she worry and stress over the Elric brothers, everything was finally the way it should be, and she relished every small comfort life gave her. They all did.

"So where are we headed? It's getting pretty hot out here," Ed sighed, swearing he could hear the rumbling from his stomach.

"Oh shut up you big baby, we'll stop in that clearing and I'll set up the blanket and food. _T_ _hen_ you can eat all you want."

Ed mockingly punched the air, grinning widely in an almost unfamiliar way. He had scarcely given genuine smiles in the past, but hell, now he'd find a way to do it at any opportunity.

"Race you there!" He bounced on his toes before breaking into a light jog, earning a growl from Winry.

"Hey! I'm carrying a lot over here!" She set the basket down and sprinted forward, quickly passing him.

"Not so fast!" Ed shouted, quickening his pace to something more akin to his usual running speed.

"We already passed the spot, you idiot!" Winry laughed, quickly running out of breath. Ed stopped abruptly at the realization, causing her to crash right into him and send them both tumbling to the ground, flattening a few sunflowers in their wake.

Ed turned around and she was above him, starting to chuckle until it turned into full stomach laughs so deep she seemed like she'd never calm down.

Winry's smile was all sunshine, beaming with a radiance that rivaled the very thing itself. God he loved that smile, he could stare at it all day and never get bored. The way the skin crinkled beside her eyes, or how the dimples that graced her cheeks became apparent, it was true brilliance that was rare to find. The slight freckles along her nose were more visible in the sun, making her the prime image of cute, and Ed felt his face heating up.

He stood and brushed the dirt from his shorts. It was too sunny to wear pants, so for this _rare_ occurrence, he decided he'd have to wear them along with a tank top. Not having an automail arm anymore was helpful too, since he wouldn't accidentally burn anything with his touch anymore. Not that the same couldn't happen with his leg, but it was an improvement.

Winry stood not long after, still giggling, and brushed herself off as well. She was clothed in a bright yellow sundress and a floppy hat, nearly blending in with the sunflowers themselves.

"You can't just _stop_ like that!" She clutched her sides and took a few steadying breaths. There was a liveliness to her gait as Ed followed close behind, and when they reached the basket she made sure to inspect it thoroughly. "Imagine if I had still been carrying this!"

"Well it's a good thing you weren't," Ed shrugged, earning a light punch to the side.

They took out the large checkered blanket from a compartment in the basket and spread it along the grass, wary of any insects.

"This should do nicely," Winry settled, taking out some packed sandwiches and a pitcher of freshly squeezed lemonade.

"You really came prepared, didn't you?" Ed marveled at her organization skills. He wouldn't have thought of any of that.

"It's not like I had a choice. You'd never think of any of this," she huffed.

Point made, he supposed.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, comfortably admiring the abundance of flowers surrounding them in every direction. They seemed to stretch on forever, creating a sea of color. They complimented each other, the intense and bold red being offset by the calming and radiant yellow. Almost like Ed and Winry themselves, he supposed. They were unique on their own, but put together, they made an entirely different color itself, full of warmth and brilliance.

"So… do you have any idea of what you want to do after leaving the military?" Winry asked, breaking the quietude. Ed had been putting off discussing that matter, he usually always changed the subject or gave some mindless excuse. He knew it wouldn't fly now though, not when it was just them. She'd want an answer, and she deserved one too. He couldn't keep hiding it from her, no matter how much it would hurt to say it.

"Actually… I uh, I've been thinking. About researching again."

"Oh yeah? What kind of things?"

"Well you know how I'm still interested in alchemy and its beneficial effects, I don't want people to be hurt because of it anymore. The only thing is…" his voice faded as he looked away, avoiding her curious gaze.

"Is what?"

"I was actually… thinking of going a bit west. Like Creta," it came out sounding more like a question than a statement, and he bit his lip waiting for a reply.

"Oh."

"I mean, I won't go if you don't want me to! It's just hard to come across things I haven't already seen in Amestris, and-"

"Ed, it's _fine,"_ Winry interrupted, halting his stammering. "Did you really think I wouldn't want you to? You can never stay in one place for very long, it's just who you are."

"But… I just got back! It's not fair to you if I leave again! You've been alone for so long waiting for us to return, and… and-"

"And I can manage to wait a little bit longer. Don't get me wrong, your restlessness drives me crazy sometimes, but this is _important_ to you. What'd you think, that you'd just sit around in a farmhouse for the rest of your life? You're only seventeen and you're already retired! Plus, it's not like I'd just be sitting here doing nothing. I have a business to run, I'll be plenty fine if you decide to go for a couple years." Winry looked serious, like how she did whenever she was dealing with an automail patient. Ed still felt guilty, but she was right. He knew she'd always been okay on her own, but he could still see the sadness in her eyes. She was hiding it for his sake, and her strength made him even more reluctant to leave. It was worse than if she was outwardly upset, because it showed just how much she cared.

"It won't be long, I swear. No longer than a year."

Winry nodded. "Then it's settled. No more reason to worry, dummy."

"Guess not," he gave a soft smile and took another sip of lemonade. "I'll miss you, you know."

"And I'll miss you too. Just make sure to call or write this time, okay?"

"Of course."

They sat in silence again, finishing up their sandwiches. The sun was right in the center of the sky, and with no clouds, its rays were harsh and brutal. Ed finished the last of his glass of lemonade and reached for the pitcher, which just so happened to be at the same time Winry was grabbing it, too.

Their hands brushed together for a split second and Ed quickly pulled away, blushing. He didn't know what caused it, they touched each other countless times when Winry worked on his automail. And why was he so nervous? He could've sworn he could hear his own heart beating, with the way it was pounding so hard.

They both looked in the opposite direction, awkwardly shifting their gazes back to each other.

Winry was the one who looked back first, eyes slowly travelling back to his own. They were sitting so close their hips were nearly touching, and Ed was only noticing it at the moment. Where had this come from? One second they were talking and casually eating, and the next it was like they had crossed the entire span of the blanket just to be by the other's side.

Maybe he was crazy, but she somehow managed to look even _more_ beautiful when she was flustered and her cheeks were flushed. He didn't want her to recoil, no, something within him was _craving_ her touch, like a need as desperate as hunger. How could he fight homunculi with ease but get so horribly jittery from a girl he had known for years?

He reached his still thin right hand closer to where hers laid across the blanket, laying it on top and wrapping his fingers around hers. ' _Another accomplishment from Edward Elric,'_ he thought with pride. That is, until she started leaning in closer. This wasn't part of the plan!

His eyes strayed to her lips, and he could almost feel her breath with how close they were getting. They _were_ nice lips, he supposed he had never noticed before. It was like he was seeing every part of her in a new light, almost like when he unveiled a hidden code in his research, ' _No, this is Winry, not science!'_ he mentally reprimanded himself. He couldn't help it, his brain was turning to mush and going too fast and too slow at the same time, until the only thought staying present was just how _beautiful_ she looked today.

She put her hand behind his head and pulled, letting her lips touch his. He closed his eyes and kissed her back, unsure of what to do besides copying her actions. It was like all of his senses were becoming enhanced, with his palms sweating like mad and his heart beating so fast it felt like it was about to jump out of his chest. Her hat had fallen off at some point, and he was vaguely aware of an ant crawling across his toes.

Winry pushed him down onto the blanket until he was propping himself up on his arm. He tasted lemonade, and even though his eyes were closed, he could visualize exactly how she looked in the moment. He saw yellow.

Ed suddenly became aware of how much he needed to breathe again, but he didn't want to risk breaking the connection. Luckily, Winry pulled away first, taking in a heavy breath as he did the same. Within seconds she was pressed against him again, the moisture from her lips refreshing in itself.

Was he even doing this right? The hand that wasn't propping him up was in an awkward place around her waist, and he hoped he wasn't hurting her. It didn't seem like it, because she got even closer, and he could feel her tongue between his lips, creeping inside his mouth. Were you supposed to do that? Ed didn't know how she was so good at it, but he hoped he wasn't making too big a fool of himself. He wanted to give just as much as she was. Equivalent exchange, after all.

He felt… _amazing._ How had he missed out on this his whole life? He wanted Winry as desperately as the very air around him, and soon he was grasping, pulling, reaching for more. The red and yellow between them was now orange, a fiery and passionate shade that sparked the air like a firework. Sure it was sloppy and awkward, but it was _real,_ and it filled him with a euphoria he hadn't experienced before in his missed teenage years. How much time had passed? It could've been a minute or an hour and he would've been none the wiser.

Ed winced when their teeth collided, but decided to take advantage of it and bite her lower lip. She made a slight noise in the back of her throat as he did so, and the corners of his mouth raised as he did it again, eliciting an even stronger reaction.

Aware for their lack of air once more, they both pulled away and panted, slightly dazed and grinning like it was solstice.

"Wow," he breathed, sitting up and brushing the sweat soaked bangs from his face.

Winry gave a few giggles, apparently amused by his awe-struck appearance.

"And you expect me to leave after _that?"_ he exclaimed, unable to comprehend how he'd be able to last so long without her by his side.

"Heh, sorry." She twirled her hair around her finger and sheepishly looked down at the blanket, which was now wrinkled and bunched up in sections.

"You intended this to be a date from the start, didn't you?" Ed realized, remembering her smirk upon arriving.

"Well, you went along with it!" Winry's cheeks were rose colored again as she shouted, and Ed only held her hand tighter. How did he end up so lucky? Everything they went through, all the pain and sadness they had shared together, it was like they were finally being rewarded for their efforts. It was all so… _perfect._

Ed reached over and plucked one of the small sunflowers from the soil, stretching it out to her in an exaggerated manner.

"There. A date."

Winry took it and spun it between her fingers, holding it close. "And we'll have plenty of time for more when you get back. It'll be something to look forward to!"

"That's the understatement of the year," Ed huffed.

She reached over and kissed him again, only for a second, and pulled back to her original spot. "I don't have to worry about whether you'll come home or not. You always do. We have all the time in the world, so _enjoy it._ "

Wait, _all the time in the world?_ Had Winry just declared a lifetime with him? That easily? He'd have to start thinking of ways to reciprocate it, and actually step it up a notch. He'd put it off for the day he left, there'd be plenty of time to come up with something suave and romantic by then.

With the sunlight beaming from her, the entire world became more beautiful, and it was in that moment that he realized that everything would be okay. This was their happiness, their healing, and it always would be.

As long as he had his sunshine, he knew there'd be no rain.


End file.
